Hotel del Coronado is San Diego’s most festive hotel during the holidays. The resort transforms with thousands of lights, a beachfront ice rink on Windsor Lawn, themed Christmas trees throughout the grounds, beachside igloos, a nightly light show, photos with Santa, holiday teas, and the storied Christmas Day brunch in the Crown and Coronet Rooms.
I stayed overnight in Beach Village last season, skated, built gingerbread houses, walked the full Tinsel Trail, and booked clients into the resort throughout. My history with The Del runs deep, I was married there, and I talk about it all year round with clients. Below is the complete event list with my insider’s take on what’s worth it, plus practical notes on choosing a room, parking, and reservations. I will be experiencing it all again this year.
Hotel del Coronado Christmas at a Glance
The 2026–2027 season runs November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Skating by the Sea, the Frostbite Lounge, the Beachside Igloos, and the nightly light show run that entire stretch, so any evening inside it gets you the core of the experience. The dated events are the ones that need planning, because Santa, the gingerbread sessions, the Victorian Tea, and the three big holiday meals each run on set days and sell out. The exact theme and dates change year to year. The traditions don’t.
| Event | 2026–27 dates | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Skating by the Sea | Nov 20 – Jan 3 | $35–$45 |
| Frostbite Lounge | Nov 20 – Jan 3 | Not yet posted |
| Beachside Igloos | Nov 20 – Jan 3 | Not yet posted |
| Holiday trees and decor | Nov 20 – Jan 3 | Free |
| Lightshow Spectacular | Nov 20 – Jan 3 (5–9 p.m. nightly) | Free |
| Holiday Lodge (new) | Nov 25–29, Dec 2, 4–6, 10–13, daily Dec 17–30, Jan 1–3 | Not yet posted |
| Thanksgiving Buffet | Nov 26 | Not yet posted |
| Jingle Roast Bonfires | Dec 1–27 | $235 per fire pit |
| Holiday Festival | Dec 2 | Free |
| Photos with Santa | Dec 4–6, 11–13, 18–24 | $35 per printed photo |
| Gingerbread House Decorating | Dec 5–6, 12–13, 18–19, 20–27 | $77 per house |
| Elf Deliveries | Dec 12–13, 18–27 | $125 per child |
| Holiday Movies on the Beach | Fri & Sat nights, Nov 21 – Dec 26, plus Thu Dec 31 | From $25.75 |
| Victorian Holiday Tea | Dec 18–22 | Not yet posted |
| Christmas Eve Dinner | Dec 24 | Not yet posted |
| Christmas Day Brunch | Dec 25 | Not yet posted |
| Rockin’ New Year’s Eve at The Laundry | Dec 31 | Not yet posted (21+) |
Skating by the Sea: Beachfront Ice Skating
Skating by the Sea is The Del’s beachfront ice rink on Windsor Lawn, with the Pacific in the background and string lights overhead. It’s really the centerpiece of all the holiday events and is very well done. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego.
Skate sessions are 90 minutes, and rentals are included with the skating ticket. Anyone under 12 has to be accompanied on the ice by a skating adult, shoes are not permitted on the rink, and parents are not allowed to carry a child while skating. Spectators can sit nearby (the seating gets cool, so dress warmly). Tickets are sold online, and they do sell out, especially weekend evenings. The Del published 2026 prices with its season announcement. Its Skating by the Sea page still says the detailed schedule and tickets will be up by the fall.
My tips for successful skating
Frostbite Lounge: Fireside Rinkside Tables
The Frostbite Lounge is the rentable fire-pit lounge at the rink, and The Del books both rink-side and ocean-side tables. You get plush seating around a lit fire pit with à la carte food and drink service, making it the way to sit in the middle of it all without putting on skates. It stays open into the evening alongside the skating sessions. Reservations and pricing for 2026 have not opened.
Beachside Igloos: Private Domes on the Sand
The Beachside Igloos are private clear-bubble domes set up on the sand, with plush lounge seating and a heater inside and a fire pit for roasting s’mores outside. They face the ocean, and they sell out fast. Last season, each igloo was a two-hour reservation holding up to eight people, four inside and four outside. The Del has not published the 2026 format or pricing.
Christmas Trees: The Tinsel Trail and the Lobby Tree
The resort decorates more than ten themed Christmas trees throughout the property each year, set along a self-guided trail. Each tree has its own concept, and signs near each tree explain it. The headline tree is in the Victorian Lobby (a two-story showpiece), and the trail winds through the Garden Courtyard, Founders Lawn, Southpointe Lawn, and the buildings around the resort. This season the trees follow A Holiday Through Time, so each one represents a different era of the resort’s own history, and the two-story lobby tree returns. The Del has not published the trail’s name or the full tree lineup yet.
Hotel del Christmas Lights and the Light Show on Founders Lawn
The resort is wrapped in thousands of holiday lights for the full season, and the centerpiece is the free Lightshow Spectacular on Founders Lawn. The display lights the whole grove of Norfolk Island Pines, including the one made famous in 1904 as the world’s first electrically lit outdoor Christmas tree, and it ends in snow flurries.
The show itself runs about ten minutes and repeats every half hour from 5 to 9 p.m. nightly. There is no ticket and no reservation. A 12-foot replica of the hotel’s red turret anchors a bar with Victorian-style lounge seating beside the lawn.
It’s on Orange Avenue, so it’s easy for non-guests to view from outside the resort. Older kids may not appreciate it as much as younger kids. My husband thought it was just okay, but because it’s free, the crowds come to The Del just to see it.
Photos with Santa at The Del
Santa is booked for December 4 to 6, 11 to 13, and 18 to 24, not every day in between. Each session includes a professional printed 5×7, and extra prints and digital copies go on sale online the day after you sit. The Del asks for one time slot per family or group, and the slots run in fifteen-minute increments from early afternoon into the evening.
This is one of the few holiday activities whose 2026 calendar is already open, and weekend slots fill up first. This year Santa is in the outdoor Garden Patio. Last season he was on Southpointe Lawn, by the big tree near Shore House.
Classic Victorian Holiday Tea in the Crown Room
The holiday tea is held in the restored Crown Room, which has a 33-foot domed wood ceiling and crown chandeliers designed by L. Frank Baum himself. Tea includes finger sandwiches, sweets, kid plates, and music. It’s elegant and runs only a handful of dates each season, so it sells out.
Holiday Movies on the Beach
The Del runs movies on the beach on Friday and Saturday nights year-round, and the lineup turns to holiday titles from November 21. Showtime is 7:30 p.m., and general admission gets you a red Del sand chair. The Roast Bonfire Package covers up to six people with their own bonfire, unlimited s’mores, and six sand chairs, and a further step up trades two of those chairs for a Del Beach day bed.
Gingerbread House Decorating with Lots of Candy
The sessions run in the Carousel Room by Babcock & Story Bar, where they were last season too, at 1, 3, and 5 p.m. on the scheduled dates. The houses come pre-cut and already assembled, so nobody loses the hour getting four gingerbread walls to stand up, but they arrive bare. All of the decorating is yours to do, and each house comes with piping bags of icing and a spread of candy.
Elf Deliveries to Your Room
If you’re staying overnight, one of Santa’s elves will deliver to your room at a time you pick between 4 and 8 p.m. Each one includes a burlap sack printed with your child’s name, toys from Santa’s workshop, a holiday coloring book, and a stuffed animal. It is priced per child and booked in advance, it is for overnight guests only, and it runs on selected dates rather than the whole season.
Jingle Roast: Private Beach Bonfires with S’mores
A Jingle Roast is a one-hour private bonfire on the beach for up to ten people, with unlimited s’mores and Santa hats. It is priced per fire pit rather than per person, which is what makes it the cheaper option for a group, and sessions start at either 4:30 or 6:30 p.m. It is a fire pit on the sand rather than a catered table, so if you want dinner alongside it, you order from one of the resort’s outlets and carry it over yourself.
Holiday Dining at The Del: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
The Del’s biggest holiday meals take place in the restored Crown Room, beneath those 33-foot domed wood ceilings, with the Coronet Rooms opening alongside it for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. The space is unmatched in San Diego for holiday atmosphere. The 2026 dates are set, but menus, pricing, and reservations have not opened. They open in the fall and the popular seatings sell out, so book the day they go live.
Thanksgiving Buffet
A traditional Thanksgiving buffet in the Crown Room. Last season it ran as an afternoon-long window rather than fixed seatings, with live music.
Christmas Eve Dinner
A holiday buffet in the Crown and Coronet Rooms with a seasonal menu.
The Famous Hotel del Coronado Christmas Day Brunch
This is the meal The Del is best known for during the holidays. The buffet runs in the Crown and Coronet Rooms with the towering Christmas tree visible from the lobby.
Holiday Lodge (New for 2026)
The Holiday Lodge is new this year. The Del is turning the 1919 Laundry building into an indoor holiday room for the season, with food, festive drinks, and holiday shopping. The garden alongside it runs children’s activities, including hot cocoa, cookie decorating, and stocking decorating.
It opens on selected evenings, not nightly, and The Del has not published its hours or whether there is a cover charge.
Rockin’ New Year’s Eve at The Laundry
The Del closes the season with its Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Party at The Laundry, the restored 1919 building that serves as the resort’s pub and hosts the Holiday Lodge this season. A live band plays rock ‘n’ roll and blues, and the ticket covers an open bar, tray-passed bites, and a dessert bar. It is 21 and over, so if you have children with you on December 31, the beach movie is the family option that night. Tickets are not on sale yet.
The Annual Hotel del Coronado Christmas Ornament
Every year, the resort releases a Collector’s Ornament tied to that season’s theme. A Holiday Through Time is announced, but the 2026 ornament design has not been released yet. They sell in a green padded gift box and are available in the resort’s shops and online. They sell out, so order early if you want one.
I have multiple Hotel del Coronado ornaments on my tree, including one from the year I was married there. Part of the proceeds historically benefits the Coronado Schools Foundation.
Choosing a Room During the Holidays
Where you stay on the resort matters more during the holidays than at any other time of year. The Victorian Oceanfront rooms face the ice rink and the Frostbite Lounge, so you will hear ambient noise and music into the evening. I would request a high floor during this time, or perhaps a different room type if noise bothers you. Some clients we have like being in the thick of things, so they prefer this location. It’s completely personal preference.
If you’re in search of quiet, I suggest staying in The Views building, Beach Village, or Shore House.
There are a couple of things I’ve known and observed firsthand during this past season’s events. On the weekends, the Windsor Lawn (where the ice rink is) is the busiest I’ve ever seen it. Plus, The Victorian Building’s outdoor restaurant patios were also buzzing.
Parking, Reservations, and Practical Tips
Parking during the holiday season
Skating does not earn you parking validation. Shopping or dining at the resort does, subject to a minimum spend, and even then it takes less than an hour off the garage rate. Budget for parking the way you would budget for a ticket.
During my stay last season, the valet offered me a flat $49 (paid by cash or Venmo) to park for as long as I wanted, which I took him up on because we were having dinner at Nobu and wanted to spend time wandering the grounds. That was one valet on one night, not a posted rate, so do not plan around it.
I did not try to self-park. First, the lot isn’t that large and the savings wasn’t worth it to me. We were also running late for our Nobu reservation. The nearby parking lots were full on apps like SpotHero.
Reservation tips
- Already open for 2026: Photos with Santa, gingerbread decorating, Jingle Roast, Elf Deliveries, and the beach movies. Book these now.
- Still to come: skating tickets, the igloos, Frostbite, the Holiday Lodge, the Victorian Tea, and the three holiday meals. Those open in the fall and the popular slots go fast.
- If you’re staying overnight, book your activities the same day you book the room.
- The “Christmas in San Diego” crowd grows every year, so don’t expect last-minute openings.
Crowds
Weekend evenings during December are packed. If your visit can be flexible, weekday afternoons (especially after 2 p.m.) and Sunday mornings are noticeably calmer.
Is Hotel del Coronado Worth Visiting for the Holidays?
Yes, with caveats.
It’s worth it if you:
- Want a true seaside Christmas with thousands of lights, a beachfront ice rink, and a storied resort backdrop
- Are traveling with kids who’d love Santa, gingerbread, igloos, and movies on the beach
- Want a holiday meal in a genuinely beautiful setting (the Crown and Coronet Rooms are special)
- Like to plan in advance and lock in reservations early
It may not be the right fit if you:
- Prefer a quiet, low-key holiday with no crowds
- Don’t want to spend special-occasion money on the ticketed extras, because the holiday meals and the private igloos both run into the hundreds
- Plan to wing it and book day-of (most things will be sold out)
The Del is by far our most festive place to be during the holidays, especially for families, but the activity costs can add up (including parking or an Uber). If you are visiting on a budget, that is okay. Go for the holiday decor, a walk along the beach, and maybe treat yourself to some fudge from Spreckels or an ice cream. That is a fun-filled day.
Day Trip or Overnight Stay?
Both work. I’ve done both, and this season I will likely stay overnight AND visit for the day.
What an overnight stay gets you
- Access to in-room experiences like Elf Deliveries
- Hotel-guest rates on some activities (skating was discounted for guests last season)
- Access to the resort grounds in the evening when day-guest crowds thin out
- Crown Club benefits if you book through me (more on that below)
- No parking headache during the day: valet or self-park is paid per night with the room
What a day visit gets you
- Most events (skating, Frostbite, igloos, light show, gingerbread, dining, ornament shop) are open to day guests
- Free walk-through of the holiday trees and the light show
- Lower cost overall, since you can DIY the day
Bottom line. If you’re a San Diego local, a day visit is a great tradition. If you’re traveling in for the holidays from out of town, the overnight stay is much more relaxing because you don’t have to fight for parking and you get the resort to yourself in the early morning.
Use My Booking Benefits at The Del
Many people, even locals, stay overnight at Hotel del Coronado during the holidays. The Del is my most booked hotel, so I know which rooms suit which kind of holiday stay and what the resort will and will not do at this time of year.
If you’d like to book through me, I have Crown Club benefits available for the upcoming season.
Hotel del Coronado Christmas FAQ
When does Hotel del Coronado decorate for Christmas?
The 2026–2027 season runs November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027. That is the window The Del publishes for skating, the Frostbite Lounge, the igloos, and the nightly light show. Decor goes up in the weeks beforehand and comes down after January 3.
How long is Hotel del Coronado decorated for Christmas?
From November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, so about six and a half weeks. Skating by the Sea, the light show, the igloos, and the Frostbite Lounge all run the full season. The specialty events (the Victorian Tea, gingerbread, Santa photos, Elf Deliveries) run on selected dates inside that window.
Does Hotel del Coronado have ice skating? How much does it cost?
Yes. Skating by the Sea is the resort’s beachfront ice rink on Windsor Lawn, open daily from November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Skate sessions are 90 minutes and rentals are included. General admission for 2026 is $35 to $45 per person, with $5 off for hotel guests, members, military and first responders. Tickets are not on sale yet.
What is this year’s holiday theme at Hotel del Coronado?
The 2026–2027 theme is A Holiday Through Time. It draws on the resort’s own history, with trees themed to different eras of The Del and the two-story lobby tree returning. The 2025–2026 theme was “A Holiday in Oz,” inspired by L. Frank Baum’s connection to the resort, and past themes have included a coastal Victorian Christmas and Old Hollywood. The Del has not yet named the trail or released this year’s ornament design.
Is there a Hotel del Coronado Christmas tree lighting?
There is no standalone tree-lighting ceremony on the schedule. The community Holiday Festival is the resort’s marquee public moment, and in 2026 it falls on Wednesday, December 2. It is free and open to everyone. Coronado school choirs sing in the Founders Ballroom, Skating by the Sea runs 4 to 10 p.m., Skydiving Santa lands on Del Beach at 4:30, the light show runs 5 to 9, and fireworks go up over the beach at 6:45. Santa passes that night are handed out on site, with no online reservations for that date.
Where can I have Christmas brunch at Hotel del Coronado?
The famous Christmas Day Brunch is served on Christmas Day in the restored Crown and Coronet Rooms, beneath the 33-foot domed wood ceilings designed by L. Frank Baum. Reservations open in the fall and sell out, so book early.
Do you need to stay overnight at Hotel del Coronado for the holiday activities?
No. Most events (skating, Frostbite Lounge, igloos, light show, Tinsel Trail, holiday dining, gingerbread, ornament shop) are open to day guests. Overnight stays unlock in-room Elf Deliveries, exclusive event pricing on some activities, and a much calmer experience after the day-guest crowds leave. If you’re traveling from out of town, I recommend staying overnight.
How does parking work at Hotel del Coronado at Christmas?
Validation comes from shopping or dining at the resort, not from skating or any event ticket. The Del’s parking page publishes $15 off with a $100 minimum spend, and its Skating by the Sea page lists $10 off self-parking for day visitors who shop or dine, so confirm which applies on the day. Day-guest self-parking starts at $39 for the first two hours and is capped at $100 a day, with overnight rates in the parking section above. SpotHero lots near the resort fill up fast on weekend evenings.
Plan a Full San Diego Holiday Trip
The Del isn’t the only thing happening across San Diego in December. If you’re building a full trip, these guides go together:
- The Best San Diego Christmas Events & Holiday Activities: every major event across the city, from Balboa Park to LEGOLAND to Coronado.
- San Diego in December: Weather, Events, Things to Do, and Insider Tips: what December actually feels like in San Diego, plus what to pack and where to stay.
- Coronado Island with Kids: the full family planning guide for Coronado, beyond The Del.
- How to Spend a Day at Hotel del Coronado: the year-round day-visit guide.
What is your favorite thing to do at Hotel del Coronado during the holidays?
I love this hotel they’re so fun
Great post! Though we’ve live in Coronado, The Del has continues to be a Christmas destination for us for over 24 years. I also collect the ornaments (but don’t have 24 because I don’t always like the design), and part of the proceeds benefit the Coronado Schools Foundation. Fab place all around!
We go to the Del every year at Christmas time to view The Tree and buy a new Christmas ornament. The Del never fails to deliver….Love Love Love the candy store…have had my eye on the mini version huge stuffed black lab for years.. maybe I’ll purchase this year…